USA > Massachusetts > History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery : organized October 3, 1861, mustered out June 12, 1865, v.1 > Part 29
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The 5th Mass. Battery, having only two guns, with Lieu- tenants Hyde, Dillingham, and Phillips, was sent to the front. I saw none of the fighting, but the guns were fought for all they were worth by Lt. Phillips who achieved for himself and his men high honor.
The gunboats sent their shots past the Left flank of our Corps into the enemy's Right. They made a fearful noise passing through the air, to the demoralization of the enemy, who did not like those 'lamp posts' as they called them.
As night began to close in, Lt. Hyde having come down to where I was stationed with the trains, I ascertained from him where the two guns were, and said I would go and find them.
Mounting my horse I started across the plains.
The artillery fire was terrific. In the darkness I could see the flashes of our guns and those of the enemy, and soon bul- lets came flying through the air. Meeting a mounted of- ficer, and making inquiries of him without getting any further news, I thought, as I was there without orders, my safest place was out of the line of fire, and returning to the Malvern house I found the two guns had preceded me. The battle was over for the night."
FROM LT. BLAKE'S LETTER.
In a letter dated July 4, 1862, Lt. Peleg W. Blake then sergeant, but promoted to 2d Lt. on the 13th of that month, wrote :--
"On a splendid field near the James River, on the Ist of July came the tug of war.
We were ordered out with our two pieces, my piece and Spear's piece, all we had, at 12 o'clock m. We took our position on the Left of the field and commenced firing, the rebels coming out of the woods one mile distant.
Seventy-five pieces of artillery were firing on the rebels who were mown down by the thousands, not by the hun-
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dreds, and at one time I should think there were 5000 rebels who came out of the woods under all of our fire of artillery and musketry.
On they came, and still kept coming, but soon began to run back for the woods, but I am sure, and I heard two gen- erals say, that there were none ever got back to tell the tale.
Soon after, they made their general attack, and there were said to be 100,000 rebels under Beauregard. We whipped them bad.
We then fell back to the James River, and started down the river 10 miles. We are now on the James River."
LETTER OF ACTING SERG'T. SPEAR. "Friday July 4, 1862.
Saturday morning the Army commenced retreating again and kept falling back, and falling back, until Tuesday, when it had anotlier battle.
The two remaining pieces were engaged, and I was in the fight about 4 hours Tuesday afternoon."
AT MALVERN HILL
NOTES OF LIEUT. SPEAR. JULY 24. 1901.
"The two remaining pieces went into position under com- mand of Lieut. Phillips, nearly to the extreme left of the Army, on the right of the road, near a small farm house, remaining there until about noon, then changing to the left and rear about one-half mile, into a wheat field on the side of the hill commanding an extended view of the enemy's right, as it advanced in line of battle. This was the first best position that we had for execution, to my knowledge, during the war, the second being at Gettysburg when on the left of Hancock's Corps, the third day of the figlit." [ See p. 651.]
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LETTER OF ACTING SERG'T. SPEAR.
"HARRISON'S LANDING, VA. Thursday, July 17, 1862.
Last night, also on the night before, we had thunder showers, and they cooled and purified the air, and the morn- ings following the showers were delightful. Every morning Bill Baxter and myself take a morning ride down to the river and have a swim. In my letter I stated that there were only three of the Quincy boys in the fight at Malvern Hill. There were four, viz., Joe Whitcher, H. E. Shaw, Bill Lapham and myself.
Joe Whitcher was driving a pair of lead horses on Tues- day, when the last fight occurred, and came directly on the battle field, to supply us with ammunition, conducting him- self nobly, and managed his horses in good style, for it was a hard and difficult task to keep the horses in their proper places, when the bullets were whizzing, and the shells burst- ing about us."
FROM CHASE'S DIARY.
"June 30, 1862. Routed out and packed up at two o'clock this morning, and after waiting three hours, again resumed our march towards James River, and later reached the river, and camped until about 3 p. m., when we again received marching orders. General Mcclellan hastily re- viewed the troops this p. m .. while in line to march. He was greeted by roars of cheering.
Cannonading heard in a northerly direction towards the Chickahominy.
At the foot of a hill to which we marched back, after marching over it this morning. an artillery duel ensued. A rebel battery commenced shelling our troops from the woods. but our artillery and the gunboats on the river, shelled them out in about thirty minutes. Several of the enemy's bat-
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teries were taken, and about 200 prisoners passed our camp.
July 1, 1862. Cannonading heard in front this morning. A battery of twelve 32 pdrs. and the gunboats on the James River, opened on the enemy.
Hitched up and went 'In Battery' at the edge of a piece of woods just to the right of the 22d Mass. Regt. while they were singing 'John Brown's body &c' and the shot and shell flying over them, and us, both ways.
Nothing but hard bread and water to eat with one excep- tion since June 26th until today, when we had beans. A general engagement began about 3 p. m. and lasted until about 9 p. m.
Our two remaining pieces advanced and took position on the left of the line, and commenced shelling the enemy in front : fired fifteen shots at them and then went to the rear, but afterwards took a new position on an eminence in front of the enemy, and held our ground until 7 p. m., when we were relieved by another full battery of 10 pounders.
A fearful battle! The enemy charged on our lines and were mown down with canister and shrapnell shot. and the infantry,-a constant roar of cannon and musketry. Lost two horses. Retired to the rear in good order, and took the march to Harrison's Landing, James River: reached a halting place about 3.30 in the morning of the 2d. [July, 1862]. Lt. C. A. Phillips very gallantly took us into our second position in front of the enemy."
NOTES OF D. HENRY GROWS.
From Notes of D. Henry Grows No. 6 man [to deal am- munition] on the 5th Gun :- "Tuesday, July 1, 1862. Got up about 6. Had some coffee. In a short time firing was heard on the Right, and we were ordered to take the pieces out on to the front. We went out and laid down to rest as the firing had ceased. Stopped here till about 3 this after- noon, when we were ordered to take our position in line of
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battle, which we did on a beautiful hill, a large, level plain beneath, with woods in the rear in which the rebels were concealed.
We soon opened upon them, our position being on the Left, and they returned it in good earnest. We had about thirty pieces of artillery against them. They sent a brigade of infantry ont against us.
I was sick of blood! We were exposed at one time to a heavy cross fire but we soon got it down.
There has been a great slaughter to-day! I stood at my post till I dropped. owing to the heat, and was sent to the rear. I shall go out again as soon as I am able. A man took my place. We fired some 300 rounds. We lost one horse, and one of the men was struck with a piece of shell. About dusk we went into camp and turned in. Had not slept but a short time before we were turned out and marched all night till 4 o'clock in the morning."
FROM GEN. THOMAS W. HYDE.
Gen. Hyde in his book "Following the Greek Cross," thus describes his emotions on this battle field :--
"I soon found myself on Malvern Hill, where I could ad- mirc the stern array of what was left of the 5th Corps, shat- tercd but dauntless still, and wonder at the grand massing of its batterics, supported by the artillery reserve. and listen to the deafening roar of the great guns from the war ves- sels far down on the James. . . . We heard afterwards how the best chivalry of the South had for hours dashed them- selves upon Porter's lines in vain, how Hunt's unsurpassed artillery had not allowed the cnemy's attacking columns to keep their formation long enough to get near his guns."
It was "by the light of the fircs," in the words of General Martindale. "reflected on the clouds over the woods, and the report of the pickcts," which revealed to our forces that "the cnemy was using the night to retire out of reach of our can- non. toward Richmond."
5
CHAPTER XII.
THE BATTERY DIVIDED.
OFFICERS AND MEN TRANSFERRED, PROMOTED, AND DIS- CHARGED FOR DISABILITY.
"What is honor? . . . Who hath it? He that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it insensible then? Yea, to the dead. But will it live with the living? No. Why? De- traction will not suffer it."-SHAKESPEARE, King Henry IL".
The Battle of Malvern Hill closed the Peninsula cam- paign. Halleck as general-in-chief gave peremptory or- ders, which were reluctantly carried out by Mcclellan and Hooker. to withdraw the Army from the Peninsula with all possible dispatch.
Governor Andrew in an address referring to this period says :-
"July 2, 1862, the President called for 300,000 men. The unfor- tunate campaign in Virginia, which results in the return of both our armies within the defences of Washington, aroused and inflamed the zeal of the whole people. The requisite number of men were speedily raised."
General Mcclellan wrote the Secretary of War that to accomplish the task of capturing Richmond reinforcements should be sent to him "rather much over than less than one hundred thousand men," and then followed six weeks of inactivity while he waited.
The Army had all "turned in" on the ground. after the battle of Malvern Hill, expecting to get a night's rest, but. talking over the day's fight while their excited nerves were recovering from the strain, orders came to move on, and they were again on the march.
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In pursuance of the retrograde movement southwest they marched ten miles, to Harrison's Landing, arriving about daylight July 3d, and the Battery went fast asleep, at last, in a field where they had dropped down between the rows of corn. The horses stood in harness as they had been since the 26th of June.
The enemy had not followed in force, and the weary sol- diers slept on far into the forenoon, unconscious that they were lying in six inches of water [ Scott's Notes]. The rain beat upon them, but they paid no heed, and lay on the ground all day, side by side with the sick and wounded, obliged to lie, if they lie at all, in this quagmire, exposed to the weather, until the sick and wounded were taken on board the transports, which was accomplished during the day and the wagons came up with shelter for the weary ones.
Reinforcements also arrived, and stragglers came in. Among the fresh troops was the 32d Mass. Infantry, as- signed to General Griffin's, late Morell's, Brigade. The enemy had not yet ceased harassing our rereating columns, for on July 3d in the morning, shells from two guns which they had placed in position, were seen bursting in the air; three of them going to pieces within 200 yards of the Bat- tery and one striking in Captain Martin's camp near them. The Battery's two remaining guns were hitched up for action, but after waiting two hours they were unhitched again. The rebel guns were so near that they were easily brought in by our flying artillery.
Grows' "Journal": "July 3. 1862. ... We soon got word that our troops had flanked them taking 40 pieces of artillery and Sooo prisoners. In a short time 600 of the 32d Mass Reg't. arrived and were loudly cheered. Fresh troops have been coming in all day. After being in harness all day, towards night we were told to unhitch and go into camp again. .
Friday, July 4. 1862. About To this forenoon we broke
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camp and moved to a better camping ground, so as to give the men and horses rest, of which we are greatly in need. Got some nice straw and laid it in my tent. Fixed up things, then laid down."
On the Fourth of July, General Henry W. Halleck. hay- ing come down from Washington, reviewed the troops, and the national salute was fired, at each Corps Head Quarters, in honor of the day.
General McClellan anticipated an attack, and was expect- ing recruits. In his address to the troops on that day he said :-
"The enemy may at any moment attack you.
We are prepared to receive them.
I have personally established your lines.
Let them conie, and we will convert their repulse into a final defeat. Your government is strengthening you with the resources of a great people.
On this our nation's birth-day, we declare to our foes who are rebels against the best interests of mankind, that this Ariny shall enter the capital of the so-called Confederacy : that our national consti- tution shall prevail, and that the Union, which can alone insure internal peace and external security to each state, must and shall be preserved cost what it may in time, treasure. or blood."
At the inspection of July 6th by General Fitz John Porter and Captain Weeden, the Fifth Mass. Battery was in line.
"It seemed to be well understood by General Porter," wrote Scott. "what the condition of the Battery was :- 'You have lost four guns at Gaines Mills' he said, 'but you lost them honorably, and as soon as practicable they will be restored to you, and the service demands them.'"
Grows' "Journal": "Sunday, July 6, 1862. It is a very hot morning. There was an inspection of the Battery by General Porter and staff this forenoon [See P. 341 F. P. Washburn] and he told us when Richmond was ours we should go home.
This afternoon went to the Doctor: he told me I would not pass, and to have my discharge. I am almost worn out with fighting and marching so much.
ريهام ومخيف
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Monday, July 7th. Went to the Doctor with Serg't Smith. He instructed me to tell my officer to have me go before the Brigade Surgeon and for him to sign our papers. Lieut. Hyde went to see him but he was away, so we will have to go tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 8th. A very hot morning. After eating I with three others went to the head doctor. He told our lieutenant to send us home, and he will do all he can for us, for which I am very thankful."
A REVIEW OF THE BATTLES.
From a Letter of Thomas E. Chase :- "Harrison's Land- ing, Va. July 7, 1862.
Since I last wrote you we have been in two desperate field engagements, besides much danger on picket duty. At two o'clock p. m. Thursday, 26th ult .. we received marching orders, and were soon on the march to White House. Can- nonading had already commenced toward Mechanicsville, and we knew that there was to be hot work on the morrow. We marched about two miles towards White House, and then countermarched nearly back again, and bivouacked for the night in a field with General Butterfield's Brigade. The firing continued until about 9 p. m., and we left the horses all night hitched to the pieces, and laid down near the guns ready for duty at a moment's notice. At early dawn the fight commenced again, and troops began to move. We left. too, but instead of approaching the scene of action we marched back nearly to the spot we had left the day before, and placed the guns 'in battery' on the brow of a hill com- manding a large tract of land around us. Lieut. Hyde then told us that our troops were retreating in good order. and that we were to cover their retreat, and that a battery of fly- ing artillery would be the last to cross the mill-stream below us. We were to hold our position and repulse the enemy
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until all the troops had crossed and destroyed the bridge. The enemy's cannonading and musketry sounded nearer and nearer, and at last the battery crossed and the men began to rip up the bridge. The enemy across the Chickahominy spied us, and opened on us from their 32 pdr. battery, but as the distance was great they did us no injury, their shells striking at least 100 yards from us. The bridge was de- stroyed before the enemy made their appearance, and we trotted off to a new position about half a mile distant, also on a hill, at the edge of a piece of woods. Here we were out of the range of the enemy's 32 pdrs., and began to think we could rest, but-Hark! The enemy have crossed the mill- stream, and are already at work! Our infantry commence . felling the trees in front of us, and preparations are made for a general engagement. The enemy threw some shells into the infantry behind the woods, but did but little injury. Soon they-the rebs-formed a line of battle, and on they came, but were quickly repulsed by our troops. After a short delay, they again rallied with increased numbers. The Left section of our Battery took a position at the edge of the woods on this charge, and blazed away at them. The enemy were repulsed the second time as splendidly as the first, and they tried it for the third time with great force but with the same success. Redoubling their force, on they came again, yelling like devils. Our brave but exhausted troops held them in check for a few moments, and in the meantime we advanced with the full Battery, and began to pour canister and shrapnell into the solid ranks, but on they came, and our troops were overpowered and a general re- treat had commenced. Many of the infantry had passed us before we ceased firing, but we finally 'limbered up' and drove off. The horses began to fall, the enemy were close upon us, and we were obliged to leave four of our guns on the field.
We retreated across the Chickahominy over Bottom's
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Bridge, and camped for the night near Mcclellan's Head Quarters. . . . Our Battery fired about one hundred rounds at them at short range. . .. Porter's Division was forced to retreat across the river. They were overwhelmed by superior numbers. Our troops fought bravely and well. We suffered a severe loss, but probably not more than half that of the enemy. We have been retreating towards the James River, and on Tuesday, Ist inst. we had another des- perate battle. Before the fight McClellan rode along the lines, and was loudly cheered and greeted with music. Many of the troops thought it was good news, but some- thing told me thiat it meant fight, and well I knew that ere long many of the voices that then cheered so loudly would be hushed in death. Although I was. glad to see our Chieftain with us, well I knew his mission. That music was not harmony to me, for I knew that the interludes were to be the groans of the dying. This was on Monday, 31st, and the enemy had already made an attack about 5 p. m., but were soon repulsed."
Notes of Francis P. Washburn : "I send you a picture of the old sword picked up at Harrison's Landing. It was not carried by an officer but by a cannoneer. When we were equipped by the state of Massachusetts, the cannoneers were armed with swords like the one in the picture, and the drivers with sabres. Later in the War the drivers only carried side arms."
The mails had recommenced, and the usual order of camp was resumed, but it was not an ideal camp, for there was no drinking water within a mile. The question of comfort was not, however, paramount at that time for the destiny of the Battery was being determined.
A Special Order was issued from Head Quarters which for a time distributed its forces into other, but not new chan- nels, as the batteries with which the fortunes of the men- bers of the Fifth Mass. Battery were cast, had been near
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neighbors in many camps and on many fields.
Jolin Galvin in a letter of Nov. 27th, 1899, referring to the life in camp of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts men, says :--
"How often we partook of their hospitality of a Sunday morning! The 5th Battery boys would not forget us. The Rhode Island boys did not know how to bake beans. I sup- pose they might be able to bake clams, but they could do nothing with beans."
Of their fighting after the Battle of Gaines Mills he says : -- "How nobly they fought, with their two guns and their handful of men, in every battle until we reached Harrison's Landing."
SPECIAL ORDER No. 200.
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. CAMP NEAR HARRISON'S LANDING, July 11. 1867
Special Orders No. . 200
16. The officers and inen of Allen's Battery E, Mass. Artillery [Morell's Division, 5th Provisional Corps], are assigned to duty with Martin's Battery C. Mass. Artillery, the battery still retaining its com- pany organization.
The Commander of the 5th Provisional Corps will make such dis- position of the material and horses as he may deem proper in the bat- teries of Morell's Division. A sufficient number of men will be de- tached from Allen's Battery and attached to Weeden's Battery C. Rhode Island Artillery, to render the latter efficient. The Chief of Artillery will make arrangements at once to supply Martin's Battery with a light 12 pounder and Weeden's Battery with a 3 inch ordnance gun.
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By command of Major General Mcclellan :
S. WILLIAMS, . Assistant Adjutant General.
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CAPTAIN A. P. MARTIN'S ORDERS.
COMPANY ORDERS, CAMP NEAR HARRISON'S LANDING, VA. July 12, 1862. In compliance with orders from Head Quarters Army of the Poto- mac, the officers and men of Allen's Battery E, Mass. Artillery, will be temporarily attached to this Battery, and until further orders will form one command. Officers and non-commissioned officers in both bat- teries will hold their present rank, and be respected and obeyed accord- ingly.
In future the roll will be called in company line. The company will assemble, and when the order is given to call the roll, each Sgt. will step 2 paces to the front, call the roll and return to his place, in the ranks, and report to the First Sgt. as he passes down the line, who will return opposite the centre of the line and report to the officer of the day, after which the company will be dismissed.
The guard will hereafter be formed with sabres and inspected by the old officer of the day, the old guard will form and be properly relieved. Every man must appear at Guard mounting in uniform with pants turned down at the bottoms, brasses clean, with a tidy appear- ance generally. . Every man will take his place in the ranks, remain silent, and keep his head square to the front, and his hands down by his sides.
Each sergeant will at once hand in to Hd. Qrs. a list of his detach- ment : designating those present for duty, and those sick; also make a distinction between drivers and cannoneers.
A. P. MARTIN Capt., Battery C, Mass. Art'y.
OFFICERS RESIGNED.
July 12, 1862, First Lieutenant John B. Hyde and Junior First Lieutenant Robert A. Dillingham resigned and were discharged.
NOTES OF LT. JOHN B. HYDE, MAY 22, 1900.
"Lt. Dillingham was enlisted a private by me, and at my request was commissioned junior second lieutenant, and afterwards was promoted to senior second lieutenant.
He was a faithful, efficient officer, always discharging his duties in a satisfactory manner. At the time he resigned he was far from being a well man, and on the way home
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became seriously ill. He was assisted through the journey by Lt. Daniel S. Tompkins of the signal corps who was also ill and on sick leave, and myself.
After he arrived at his home in New Bedford. he grew worse, and was sick a long time with the dropsy, and died with that disease on January Ist, 1868, aged 40 years."
LT. HYDE'S. COMING HOME.
Lt. Hyde did not resign as a sick man, but the nervous strain through which he had passed produced typhoid fever, the effects of which still remain ( 1902), and while disposed to return to the service his physical condition would not admit of it.
His relations with the Battery were always very pleas- ant. he looked after the men when they were sick but when well held them strictly to the performance of their duty.
The horse "Black Charley" was sent home by express, and in the fall of 1864. at the New England Horse Fair held at Saugus, Mass., took the prize as a saddle horse for action and beauty. The prize was twenty-five dollars, and with it went a diploma, which neatly framed is still ( 1902) preserved among his master's souvenirs of the war.
In later years he became the property of the distinguished lawyer Peleg W. Chandler of Boston and Brunswick. Maine, and occupied a stall in a stable as fine as a dwelling house.
FROM A LETTER OF LIEUT. PHILLIPS.
"CAMP NEAR HARRISON'S LANDING,
July 12, 1862.
In compliance with my request Capt. Martin went up to see Gen. Porter yesterday. Gen. Porter said that the com- pany would be assigned to Capt. Martin, still retaining its company organization under my command. Yesterday an order arrived from Gen. McClellan for officers and men of
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the Battery to report for duty to Captain Martin, a suffi- cient number to be detailed to fill up Weeden's Battery, the company still retaining the company organization, and Mar- tin and Weeden recruiting up to the maximum, regardless of us. So you see how the thing stands now. We still re- main a battery, without guns or horses, and most of the men detached for other duty. I shall retain my commis- sion, and be in command of the Battery, having our mus- tered pay rolls, and act as a kind of supernumerary to Mar- tin's Battery. Scott ditto."
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